By Beth Holland and Karen Anesi

What to know about GMOs

If you want to get involved locally in creating healthier food and laws that guarantee it, Julie Meadows is starting a group to fight genetically modified foods.

Called GMO-Free Colorado Southwest, the group met for the first time a month ago and is planning to press for labeling of all genetically modified organisms. They are also looking to educate people about practices they can do every day to keep GMO’s out of their kitchen.

The most commonly modified foods are corn, canola, cottonseed, soy and sugar. If they’re not organic, don’t buy them, she says.

Meadows warns against new GMO foods like the Arctic apple, a Granny Smith that doesn’t brown when you cut it. Then there’s what she calls the Frankenfish, a breed of salmon that quickly grows to twice the normal size and contains the genes of another fish.

“GMOs are in all the meat we eat,” she said. “Cows and pigs and chickens are fed GMO grains sold by the federal government to farmers. I’ve never trusted their treatment of the animals.”

If you’re interested, the next meeting is Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. For more information, contact gmofreecoloradosw@gmail.com, or call Meadows at 375-1262.